[Edward Middleton Barry] 1860s

Curator: Welcome. We are looking at an albumen silver print portrait, attributed to John and Charles Watkins, of Edward Middleton Barry, taken in the 1860s. It's currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: What a dapper fellow! It has an air of quiet confidence, doesn't it? Almost a world-weariness about the eyes. A perfect gentleman, clearly captured mid-thought. I like the tonal gradations in the backdrop. It helps to focus the gaze onto the sharp, refined details of the suit. Curator: Precisely. The photographic processes used in the 1860s are vital to its understanding. Albumen prints, a development of the mid-19th century, yield fine detail and a wide tonal range as seen in the contrast between Barry's beard and skin. Note also how the sharpness of the image helps capture the intricacies of his cravat. Editor: He definitely has the air of a very careful dresser! But the image also feels incredibly intimate, doesn't it? You can sense a collaboration between subject and photographer to render him as both human and somewhat an archetype of upper-class respectability of the time. It strikes me as being deeply modern, in its own way. Curator: The formal conventions of portraiture are, I would argue, also important here. Barry is positioned in a classic three-quarter view. We can see how the even, subtle lighting emphasises his facial structure. This combined with his clothing gives a palpable sense of his status and social position. Editor: You're absolutely right. Although the tones are warm and quite inviting, there's still a very conscious presentation being made, right down to his groomed sideburns and neat hair. There's so much 'posing', that there is only a slight glimpse behind a very public image, and for that, I love this little image. Curator: Well, indeed, these albumen prints serve as a fascinating intersection of artistic intention, technological innovation and the ever-evolving social norms concerning how one wants to be represented. Editor: It does make you wonder about the stories behind the subject and also about the moment in time captured. A lovely example of history encapsulated in a small package.